Let’s talk about Plumeria, or as some say, Frangipani, or as they call it in Indonesia, Jepun.
You may or may not have noticed, that this is the new face of Eastern Elements Holistic. The
flower within Logo is indeed a Frangipani flower. This flower run very close to my heart, and I
have many fond memories of it.
When we lived in Bali, we had 2 trees overlooking our garden. a Ylang Ylang and a
Frangipani. Each day at 4pm (when the sun went behind the house) our landlord, Agung,
who lived in the adjoining house, would climb up onto our wall with his picker stick and pick
all the flowers that were ready to sell at the next day’s market for ceremonial offerings. His
wife, Ibu, would come into our garden and collect all the dropped flowers. This soon became
Indahs favourite time of day, she would sit on the front porch with her little snack and watch
them contently. Pointing and directing to ensure none were missed. As she grew, Indah
would start helping them pick the flowers and we would start learning about the flowers
connection with the Balinese Hindu offerings as they placed them at the temple in our
garden. We started wearing them in our hair for special occasions. But for me personally the
real magic started when I started using the oil for my massage therapy. Absolute game
changer!
The Frangipani flowers are large, fragrant, and typically red, yellow or white (ours were
white). But besides looking beautiful, the flowers scent is widely popular for its strong, exotic
fragrance
It is incredibly long-lasting, making it a popular addition to skin creams, perfumes and
lotions. However, the benefits of this plant go far beyond the surface.
The Frangipani flower also contains glycosides (a sugar compound), which help support
collagen – an important component of the skin’s connective tissue. Glycosides are often
used in skincare preparations as they help promote the absorption of other ingredients. They
even serve to hydrate the skin thanks to their unique ability to bond to water molecules.
Both the Frangipani plant and it’s flower extract (frangipani oil) have a long tradition of use
for health problems. For instance, its milky sap has been used for generations as a home
remedy for toothaches and as an addition to massage therapy oils for its anti-inflammatory
properties.
Used in aromatherapy, its oil is considered refreshing by many. It’s useful in relaxing
muscles and calming nerves. Frangipani oil can also be benefited as an aphrodisiac.
I personally like to use it as a massage oil or in a diffuser for aromatherapy. The scent alone
gives a feeling of tropical paradise which in turn, immediately helps us to relax.